#Ruivin are returning to the small screen for the first time since 2012 in ‘Old is Gold’.

Rejoice, #Ruivin fans: the celebrated coupling (consisting of Rui En and Elvin Ng, for those who don’t know and can’t tell) is set to grace our tellies once again in Channel 8 long-form drama Old is Gold - seven years after their last pairing in Unriddle 2.

“Seriously? Seven years? That’s a long time ago!” Elvin exclaimed when we threw that figure at him at the imaging session for the show last week. “You mean we both aged 14 years added up? (Laughs)” (If it makes him feel any better, they don’t look like they did.)

The duo’s most recent dramas together were 2016’s C.L.I.F. 4 and If Only I Could, but they were paired with different people and didn’t share many scenes. Old is Gold will be their sixth collab as a reel-life couple (or potential couple, at least), as Elvin joins the cast from episode 94 onwards as Hugo Ho, a dapper second-gen CEO whose family business is linked to the nursing home at the centre of the series.

“The caretaker who looked after me when I was young is now in the nursing home, so I go there to check it out and discover that it’s in the good hands of Rui En’s character, then of course, I fall in love with Rui En lah,” he grinned.

(Continued on next slide: will Ruivin end up together in 'Old is Gold'?)

#Ruivin pairings over the years (do you recognise these dramas?)07 Aug 2019

#Ruivin pairings over the years (do you recognise these dramas?)

This will mark the beginning of a love triangle between Elvin, Rui En, and Xu Bin in the show… but even Elvin himself doesn’t know who she will eventually pick (so we couldn’t put a spoiler here even if we wanted to).

“I think the production team has been doing a poll to help decide who she should end up with,” he revealed. “Chantalle Ng and Edwin Goh told me they were asked which pairing they want to win, and they said, ‘Of course we said Ruivin lah - we grew up watching Ruivin!’ I was like, ‘Excuse me, what are you talking about?’ (Laughs)”

Well, “old” is gold, right? Um, not saying anyone in this scenario is actually old, of course…

Read on as Elvin tells us his thoughts on working with Rui En again (and how he finally managed to get her number after so many years).

Elvin and Rui En at Star Awards 2013; at the press conference for 'If Only I Could'07 Aug 2019

Elvin and Rui En at Star Awards 2013; at the press conference for 'If Only I Could'

Toggle: How does it feel to be working with Rui En again?Elvin: It’s good! When she was going through a difficult time, I really felt for her. I like her for being straight-talking and consistent in her character, and we’ve always gotten along well enough. There was once, we were both getting our makeup done for a shoot, and reporters asked us if we had a quarrel because we totally didn’t talk for half an hour, but we’re just so comfortable with each other that we don’t feel the need to always talk!

Anyway, we’ve worked together so much previously, but ever since she came back [from her hiatus] and we went to watch a rugby match together, it’s been good to see a happier and healthier her.

We’ve noticed her more jovial side lately as well. Was she always like that in the past?Before I worked with her for the first time, I heard she was much more jovial, but perhaps some things happened that made her more reserved. I remember in the beginning (when we first worked together for 2006's Love at 0°C), I asked for her number, and she was like, “(With a very serious expression) Why do you want my number?” (Laughs) I wasn’t trying to cause trouble, I was doing it for work purposes! But then we did end up working together very well and having very good chemistry.

Elvin gets his "revenge" by rolling his eyes back at Rui En07 Aug 2019

Elvin gets his "revenge" by rolling his eyes back at Rui En

What are some of your fondest memories from working with Rui En?So many, you know! I like to disturb her when I see her, and she would roll her eyes at me. (Laughs) Okay, I remember when we were in Kuala Lumpur shooting Code of Honour, and we were supposed to have a wire stunt scene, but before we were set to go up, the stuntman filming before us fell to the ground because the wire snapped! We immediately looked at each other and were like, “Okay, nope, we’re not doing this.” (Laughs) That was one scary moment. And so many others lah.

How do you disturb her? Give us some examples.I don’t know why, but she just thinks I’m very lame! I would say something and she’d be like, “Oh come on, Elvin.” Then I’d be like, “I mean it! I’m being serious and sincere!” and she’d go, “No, don’t.” She’s always like that. (Laughs) But it was different when we went to the rugby match and ate steamboat together (in April last year). She actually opened up a lot more, and I finally got her number and we started texting a lot.

The rugby game and steamboat session last year, where Ruivin finally exchanged numbers07 Aug 2019

The rugby game and steamboat session last year, where Ruivin finally exchanged numbers

You mean you only managed to get her number last year!?Yes! Because it had been a while since we worked together, and I also had fresh memories of being rejected when I first asked for it, so I didn’t want to ask a second time. (Laughs) Since then, we always kept our friendship at a very comfortable level without ever crossing the line, but now, we’ve crossed the line a bit.

So how did it finally happen?I don’t know, we were just like, “Eh, we live quite close to each other leh, we’re actually neighbours! Maybe we should exchange numbers.” So yeah, then it happened easily, and now we WhatsApp each other quite often and talk a lot of nonsense. (Laughs)